Coming soon: World's first 'invisible' tower

By Karla Cripps, CNN

Updated 0228 GMT (1028 HKT) September 16, 2013

Chat with us in Facebook Messenger. Find out what's happening in the world as it unfolds.

Photos:

World's first 'invisible' tower – Tower Infinity will be built just outside of Seoul near Incheon International Airport. Through digital processing, images will be scaled, rotated and merged to create a seamless panoramic image that appears on rows of LED screens to create an illusion of invisibility.

Hide Caption

1 of 8

Photos:

How it works – A graphic by GDS Architects explains how they'll pull off the Infinity Tower's "invisibility" illusion using cameras placed at three different heights to create a seamless panoramic image.

Hide Caption

2 of 8

Photos:

High-tech camouflage – From left to right, a look at how the building will appear when the LED facade system isn't activated; then lit with 30% power; on the far right, 100% power.

Hide Caption

3 of 8

Photos:

World's sixth tallest tower – Tower Infinity's invisible face is essentially just state of the art camouflage. In essence, whatever is going on behind the building will be projected onto the front of the building. No word from the building's developer on how long we'll have to wait to see the illusion in real-life.

Hide Caption

4 of 8

Photos:

Not just another tall building – "Instead of symbolizing prominence as another of the world's tallest and best towers, our solution aims to provide the world's first invisible tower, showcasing innovative Korean technology while encouraging a more global narrative in the process," says Charles Wee, design principal for GDS Architect.

Hide Caption

5 of 8

Photos:

Tower Infinity – Set to be the world's first "invisible" tower, when complete, Tower Infinity will stand 450 meters (1,476 feet) tall.

Hide Caption

6 of 8

Photos:

Night view – A night perspective of the Infinity Tower, with the LED facade system turned off.

Hide Caption

7 of 8

Photos:

'Invisible' observation decks – Seoul's Tower Infinity will reportedly be used primarily for leisure activities. It will include a series of observation decks, a movie theater, roller coaster, water park and numerous food and beverage outlets.

Hide Caption

8 of 8

Story highlights

Tower Infinity will be 450 meters high and have the third highest observation deck in the world

The invisibility illusion will be achieved with LED facade system

Tower Infinity will be built near Seoul's Incheon International Airport

For architecture buffs numbed by the ongoing global battle to crank out record-breaking tall buildings, here's something innovative to spark the imagination.

The South Korean government has granted approval to begin construction on the world's first "invisible" tower.

Designed by U.S.-based GDS Architects, the glass-encased Tower Infinity will top out at 450 meters (1,476 feet) and have the third highest observation deck in the world.

The invisibility illusion will be achieved with a high-tech LED facade system that uses a series of cameras that will send real-time images onto the building's reflective surface.

It will be built just outside of Seoul near the Incheon International Airport.

Neither the developer nor GDS have released a target completion date.

The development will reportedly be used primarily for leisure activities. It will include a series of observation decks, a movie theater, roller coaster, water park and numerous food and beverage outlets.

Though height isn't its main selling point, Tower Infinity is no slouch in the vertical department.

Editor's note: The original version of this paragraph said Tower Infinity would be one of the world's tallest buildings, not towers. The error has been corrected.

More: 13 scary-but-awesome viewing platforms

How it works

How the building will appear when the LED facade system isn't activated; then lit with 30% power; on the far right, 100% power.

Tower Infinity's invisible face is essentially just state of the art camouflage.

Cameras will be placed at three different heights on six different sides of the building to capture real-time images of the surroundings; three other sections, each filled with 500 rows of LED screens, will project the individual digital images.

Through digital processing, images will be scaled, rotated and merged to create a seamless panoramic image that appears on the LED rows to create the illusion of invisibility.

In essence, whatever is going on behind the building will be projected onto the front of the building.

According to GDS, managers will be able to alter the level of power used to give the building different levels of invisibility.

"Instead of symbolizing prominence as another of the world's tallest and best towers, our solution aims to provide the world's first invisible tower, showcasing innovative Korean technology while encouraging a more global narrative in the process," said Charles Wee, GDS design principal, in a statement.

In 2011 GDS, in collaboration with firms Samoo Architects and A&U, was awarded first prize in a National Design Competition sponsored by the Korea Land & Housing Corporation to provide design and engineering services for the observation tower.